TALLINN, Estonia (NEWSnet/AP) — Allies of imprisoned opposition leader Alexei Navalny said his lawyer was told in court on Friday he had been moved from the penal colony east of Moscow.

The disclosure that Navalny was moved from Penal Colony No. 6, in the town of Melekhovo, came at a hearing regarding a lawsuit he filed against officials at the maximum-security facility. ‘

The whereabouts of Navalny, 47, have been unknown since his lawyers lost connection with him after Dec. 6.

Kira Yarmysh, spokesman for Navalny , said the lawyer was told in court that the politician "left the Vladimir region” on Dec. 11.

“Where exactly (he was moved to) — unclear,” she wrote on X.

News outlet Sota reported that a document from the Vladimir branch of State Penitentiary Service was read at the hearing, stating that Navalny left the colony “for a correctional facility located outside the Vladimir region” and further information will be provided once he arrives at the destination. No details about the destination were given.

Yarmysh confirmed the accuracy of the report to The Associated Press.

Navalny has been serving a 19-year term on charges of extremism. He was due to be transferred to a “special security” penal colony, a facility with the highest security level in the Russian penitentiary system.

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